1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to promotional financial transaction machine methods wherein a patron's executed transaction at a financial transaction machine is evaluated to determine whether it qualifies to result in a promotional receipt being generated to the patron.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional financial services distribution system utilizing a financial transaction machine ("FTM"). Common examples of financial transaction machines are automated teller machines ("ATM's") and point of sale terminals. FIG. 1 shows a plurality of FTM machines 10, each coupled to a central FTM host terminal driver system 20. The host terminal driver system 20 includes a terminal handler portion 21 for interfacing with the respective FTM machines as well a processor interface portion 22 for interfacing with electronic finds transfer authorizing network 30 (hereinafter EFT authorizing network). The EFT authorizing network 30 includes a network switch 31, an issuer host terminal 32 and an issuer data base 33. The host terminal driver system 20 is programmed to perform a number of financial services distribution functions such as analyzing and processing transaction requests input by a patron at one of the financial transaction machines 10. The host terminal driver system 20 stores information about these transaction requests locally and generates further requests which are communicated with, for example, the patron's bank through the network switch 31. Such a financial services distribution system can be used for standard ATM network functions such as withdrawal, deposit, and inquiry of account funds. This distribution system can also be used for point-of-sale transaction handling.
The use of such financial transaction machines has increased dramatically over the last decade. Patrons enjoy the 24-hour, seven days a week convenience of such machines. Despite the immense popularity and widespread use of such machines, there has been little if any interactive targeted promotional activity developed by financial service providers and/or merchants to entice patrons to perform particular transaction types at these machines. Such interactive targeted promotions for financial transaction machines can increase transaction volume for a given machine, add consumer value to offset a surcharge fee, strengthen a business partnership between a service provider and a merchant, and also create consumer and merchant excitement.
The distribution arrangement described by the foregoing discussion is a mature system and supports well defined processing and performance standards. Any attempt to add interactive targeted promotion components within this existing transaction processing flow would require re-certification of EFT network participation. As a result, network deployer's and financial service providers are reluctant to disturb this processing under any circumstances. Moreover, organizations that deploy such financial transaction machine arrangements have limited resources to devote to non-core application development. As a result, these organizations are reluctant to commit their qualified technical personnel experienced in EFT systems to non-core, non-priority projects.